Screw-driver.



inc. 768,441.

' I'atented August 23, 1904.

' PATENT O FICE.-

'TuoMAs WHITE FISHER, OF HELENA, MONTANA.

som-zw-pmvsn.

SPECIFICATION formingpart a Letters Patent No. 768,441, dated August 23, 1904.

Ap lication flledlarch 4,1903. I Serial 1a. 146,069. ea model.) a

To all when tit 'rn/ty concern; 7

Be it known that I, THOMAS WHITE FISHER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Helena, in the county of Lewis and Clarke 5 and State of Montana, have invented a new and Improved Screw-Drivenof which the fol,- lowing is a full, clear, andexact description.- The invention relates to screw-drivers or other,similar implements; and it consists, substantially, in the improvements hereinafter particularly described.

Considerable annoyance and inconvenience are frequently experienced in the application or use of the ordinary screw-driver due to the accidental dislodgment or unseatingof the operative end thereof from the transverse notchor groove therefor in the head of the screwoperated upon, and it often happens from such cause that when a screw is being forcibly driven home in a structure or piece of work the surrounding surface of the latter becomes marred or disiigured from contact therewith of the edge of theimplement, not 1 infrequently necessitating a new dressing or The present invention has for its principal object to provide a screw-driver having means (denominated by me a holder or guide) whereby the abovementioned annoyances and inconveniencesmay be readily overcome and also whereby the operation 1 withdrawal of screws may ease and facility and without liability'to cut ting or otherwise injuring the hand of the op-' erator,

substantially as will more fully hereinafter appear when taken in connection with the aceompanying drawings, in which similar charparts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is'aside view of an ordinary screw-- driver having my improvements embodied in connection therewith,the said view indieating the position of the holder or'guide at planing ofl of such surface, and, as is apparof insertion and] be effectedwith The invention also has other objects in view,

acters of reference indicate corresponding of the implement to the head of a' screw previous to the adjustment of said holder or guide for effective operations. Fig. 2 is' a similar View, in part vertical section, showing my improved holder or guide as adjusted for operation either for the insertion orwithdrawal of a screw from astructure orpiece of work. Fig.' 3 is' also a side view showing my improvements as applied to a screw-driver constructed in the form of a bit to be used in connection with an ordinary carpenters stock or brace.

Before proceeding with a more detailed de scription it maybe stated that in carrying'my invention into effect I employ a screw-driver or similar implement of ordinary construcfrom the operative end thereof the same is preferably reduced in diameter. for a limited extent, and applied to the said implement is what. I term a holder or guide, which surrounding the head of a screw during the time of engagement therewith by the implement-,.as Wlll hereinafter appear.

ments or parts are such that during'the operation of insertion of a screw in a structure or prevented from wabbling, while at the. same time the edge or operative end of the implement is effectively maintained in place in the groove 01' notch therefor in the head of the screw, and thus the screw may be driven all the way home without liability to deface any part. of the said structure or work.

My improved holder or guide constitutes a device which may be readily'attached to or detached from an ordinary screw-driver or similar implement, and the saiddevice may to the trade separately-as a new article of manufacture.

While I have herein represented my 1mit will be understood, of course, that I am not limited thereto in precise detail, since immaterial changes therein may be resorted to coming within the scope of my invention.

the time of application of the operative end tion, excepting that for a suitable distance isa'djustable. for the purpose of inclosing'or The construction and organization of the several elepiece of work the screw is evenly guided andbe manufactured in large quantities and sold provements in certain preferred embodiments,

1 represents the stem or body portion of an of which is preferably-a little in excess of the diameter of the enlarged portions 8 and 91 of ordinary screw-driver or other similar implement, the same being beveled at -2 2 on oppo sitesides at the operative end 3 thereof to adapt such end to enter between the sides of the usual transverse notch or groove 4 formed in the head 50f an ordinary screw 6, whereby j slon of the surface of the work by the edge of Y of members or a firm hold upon the enlarged portions 8 and moved the implement which would be apt to occur 5 on slipping of the end of the implement from the notch or groove in'the screw-head, I employ a suitable holder or guide 7, which, as

shown, is constituted of a unitary structureentirely devoid of independent springs or other auxiliaries, the said device being adustable on the body of the implement and be- 1ng so constructed as tolbeheld in its operative position preferably by friction. 'Thus.

the said holder or guide 7 consistsof-a tube of sultablelength and the internal diameter the body portion of the implement, it being shown'at 10 (see Fig. 2). that for a suitabledistance the said body portion of the implement is reduced in diameter. The lower end of: the holder or guide is preferably made slightly flaring at 11, (see Fig. 2,) so as to facilltate the slipping of this end over the head of a screw to be operated upon, while thesaid holder or guide is slit longitudinally a suitable distance from its upper edge at intervals of its circumference, thereby forming aseries fingers 12, which are bent or sprung inwardly at 13,. so as to grip. or take 9 of the implement, and thus. be held by friction upon elther one of such portions, accordingly as the holder or guide may be moved to.

one or the other of the positions indicated in the drawings.

As shown in Fig. 1, the holder or guide is upwardly by which to cause the operativeend 3 of the implement to protrude'from the lower end of the tube,.thus enabling the. proper insertion of such operative end within the notch or groove in the head of the screw to be operated upon, it being understood-that the device is held in this. position by the clampmg. action of the bent members or fingers 12 upon the lower part. of the enlarged portion 8 of the body of the implement.

In Fig. 2-the holder or guide is shown as having been moved or adjusted to cause thelower end of the tubular portion thereof to.

inclose or envelop the head of the screw, this.

position of the said device being maintained part of thej'said e eed part e et ane into contact with adjacent portions of the surface of such structure or work the said holder or guide is then moved upwardly substantially to the position indicated at Fig. 1, whereupon the final turns may be imparted to the screw with the protruding end of the implement, thus avoiding marring of any part of the surface of the work by abrasion of the said lower end of the said tubular portion of the device. While the said holder or guide is in the lastnamed position upon the implement it is apparent that the latter may be operated in the ordinary manner, and it may be further stated that when the said holder or guide is adjusted upon the implement so as to cause the members or fingers 12 thereof to be free of each of the enlarged portions 8"and 9 the said implement may he turned independently within the holder or guide, due to the fact that the members or fingers 12 exert no clamping action upon the reduced portion 10 of the implemerit-body, and in this way the operation of inserting or withdrawing a screw may be conveniently e 'ected by turning the implement with one hand while supporting the holder or guide with the other.

It will be understood thatif no use whatever is to be made of the holder or guide the same may be either detached from the implement altogether or else moved along the same for the full extent of the enlarged portion 8 thereof, upon which it will be held by frictional engagement of the bent members or fingers, as is apparent. At the base of each of the slits between the members or fingers 12 a circular opening 14: is formed in the holder or guide, said construction giving increased elasticity to. the said members or fingers and overcoming any tendency to splitting of the tubular portion of the device, and, as will be observed, the/ends of themembers or fingers are bent outwardly at 15, by which to enable the slidable adjustment of the holder or guide to be conveniently effected by the hand of the operater.

The screw-driver may be provided with a -s uitable handle 18., if desired, as shown in Figs. 1 and2, orthe same may be tapered and squared, as indicated at, 17, Fig. 3, as in the manner of an ordinary bit, wherebythe structure. may be. applied in the usualmanner to an Fordmary brace or stock.

bent members or fingers 12 upon the upper My improved device may be constructed of limited to the specific embodiments of the de- "vice herein illustrated.

that the samemay be applied many of the ordinary screw-drivers or similar implements already in use. Asbefore stated, I am not Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The com bination with a screw-driver or sunllar implement having a shank provided with a reduced portion near the operative end thereof, of a tubular member adapted for slidingadjustment on the shank to cause one end of the same to project beyond the operative end of the shank when in use and to be withdrawn to the upper end thereof when not in use, said tubular member being rigid at the end designed to project and having. the other end ing gripped thereby, said fingers being curved outwardly at their ends and said reduced portion of the'shank being provided with beveled shoulders, whereby said fingers may ride up freely over said shoulders.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subt scribing witnesses.

THOMAS W I'IE FISHER. Witnesses: e

GEORGE P. REEVES, GEO. R. METTEN. 

